Terrorist threats made against Balinese cities

Words by Jed Smith

Less than a week after ISIS-backed militants carried out a series of attacks across the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, a letter threatening more attacks – this time on the island of Bali – has been delivered to a government office.

We are now investigating the letter,” said Bali police spokesperson Hery Wiyanto. “We have questioned several witnesses, mostly staff of the Buleleng subdistrict office where the letter was sent.”

“We are informed that the man brought the letter wearing helmet and glasses, so, it doesn’t clearly show his face. He drove a motorbike.”

The note reportedly read: “Our members are currently present in Denpasar and Singaraja” and threatened “to blow up these cities in the name of Allah.”

It warned they would attack shopping centres, offices and tourism destinations.

Wiyanto said Bali was now under tight security. “We are tightly monitoring Bali’s entrance, the seaport and airport,” he said. “We are deploying more personnel in seaports, airports, and many crowded areas, including areas where many foreigners gather. We are also intensifying patrols.”

Bali was the scene of the 2002 terror attack that killed 202, including 88 Australians. Radical cleric, Abu Bakr Bashir, who was jailed for 15 years for his role in the attack, caused a stir last week when he turned out at court in West Java to appeal his sentence. An estimated thousand police clashed with hundreds of Bashir supporters, chanting “Allahu Akbar” and hurling abuse at the authorities.

The Australian Government advises travellers headed for Indonesia to “exercise a high degree of caution” due to the possibility of terrorist attacks.